Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-03
SHOP GIRLS OF PARIS.
MISS LEIG H'S PAST WORK AND
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.
Establishing Homes That Will save the
FriendIess From Suicide and worse
Thar sui cide-Experiences in the
Great French Capital.
Ftonl &c PA,ladelphla Prsss.

Thar sui cide-Experiences IN tho
Great French Capital.
FRAN the PA,lddslphia Press.
Miss A a LEIGH, who for the last elgn-
teen years has been mother and sister
to the homeless and friendless Engiisn
and American girls in Paris, spoke at the
Church OF the Saviour, Thirty eighth street
above Chestnut, last night OF her past
work and of her plans for the future
Miss Leigh is a kindly-taced Engllsn
woman, with soft, low voice capable OF
giving great dramatic force to the SIMPLE
straightforward story she has come 10
this country to tell.
When the Rev. Robert G. Matlack hao
introduced her she seated herself In
chair on the platform, folded her hands,
and, showing full confidence in her pow
ers ofInteresting her hearers, begun her
story in quiet, conversational tOne'
"The first thing l did when l went 10
Parls," SAID Miss Leigh, "was to do what
everyone else does, buy pair OF gloves
The girl who sold me the gloves spoke
English and asked her if sac could dl-
rect me to an English church. sue salQ
she did not know of any such caurch anu
that she had not been to one iOr lour
months. | asked her to come to my rooms
on the following sunday and bring some
of her English-speaking friends with ner.
In this way gathered about me small
circle OF iriendless girls who had no other
place to go to that was not place where
they could learn nothing good. l USED 10
send them little notes signed '0ne VINO
cares for yoU,' and L think that signature
was more effective in bringing them to me
than any other part of the letter.
hn
street say to her companion: why
should live any longer, no one cares
l touched her on the shoulder, and SAID;
Il care.' That girl afterwards became
very dear to me, and when L lett Paris
she gave me a franc wrapped In piece
OF paper, on which was written TO found
a home for friendless girls in Paris
That franc saved from the girls scanty
store was the nucleus of the fund which
founded our Mission Home. We started
with twelve beds, and in short while in
creased it to thirty-siX. Then the French
authorities interfered. We were doing
what was illegal in two ways. We did
not own the Mission but rented 1t, and
we were only allowed TO have twenty
four beds. We started np again in home
ofOur own where our accommodations
We're very limited.
cone day four girls, Americans, asked
L
and the three went away disappointed.
| gave them each a card with the address
OF the home written upon 1t and the hours
when we held service there. 1t was all
| could do. In three days one OF the cards
was brought to me by gendarme. 1t
was stained and disc olOred by the waters
OF the Seine, and | learned that the girl
mad sought resting place IN the river
which temptS so many. L had never
\ hui n n
duty called me TO work for a larger house.
| pledged myself TO raise $50, 900 for that
purpose, and my name was accepted as
sufficient guarantee that 1t would be
forthcoming. Two months before the
time for the payment fell due l had $780,
000.
"One day little girl who served as an
artists model tainted, while she was pos
ing, from exhaustion and hunger. The
artist was an American and he sought
me out and put the case in my hands. |
learnt then that these children were sold
for from $50 to 500 to artists as models. /
went to the chief Of the French police and
asked him to have the girl arrested and
taken from the Italian padrOne who hired
her out and put in my care. And for
what reason, MademOiselle? he asked.
Il may save her soul, perhaps / an
swered. Listen to me- be said, striking
!
souls, nor in GOd,no in heaven, but tell
YOU it is crying wrong that you English
do not save these children's bodies |
accept the rebuke, for felt that we de-
served ii.
"In a few days the police brought me
four children. Shall we arrest any more%
they asked. They ended in arrestln
ninety, both English and American. One
day lady said to me: the place is
la > {
would fill NJ. Galignani's villa. if | owned
it, The lady proved to be NJ. Galigranps
secretary. She repeated my words to the
great publisher and in a week | received
an invitation to a garden party at his
villa. When entered his door l found
all the people OF the neighbornood assem-
bled in circle. NJ. Galignani said SIM
ply: Il have asked you here to accept this
house for home for American and En-
glsh children The estate was worth
$50, 900 and NJ. Galignani endowed IL with
$4,000 year. The Baroness de Roths-
child built a school house adjoining for
$4,000. NJ. Galignani was Roman
Catholic; the home he founded is under
the auspices of the Protestant Church,
The Baroness de R0thschild is a Jewess
and she built the school house. L have
now come to this country to ask you to
help an American woman who has given
me u MUSE Win pbO,oUu lul q nOluS III
young men for which am now trying to
collect the money TO pay for the ground
on which it stands.
There are more Americans than Eng
lish among the students in Paris, and
while we can send the English nome AT
the expense OF 4 few francs the Ameri-
cans at present are without place to
shelter them if they are sick. Over 800
young men have sent me here and have
told rae 10 cable Found" when l have
the money to give them their home. Do
not say, as they said in Chicago, Let them
starye,' but remember these young men
are dying in hospitals alone, and are be-
ing buried in paupers' graves unrecog.
nized. They have no place TO go wheL
their work Is dOns but To the wine shop
or worse. IL is an American woman who
gives half Of this princeiy gift. win you
hot give the .est?'
Miss Loigh will speak in several OF our
CHURCHES during the week. She is at
1rescnt the guest OF the TT. Rev. Bishop
stevens.
A Little Girps Appeal To Secretary